title: The glycosyl-inositol-phosphate and dimyristoylglycerol moieties of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor of the trypanosome variant-specific surface glycoprotein are distinct macrophage-activating factors.
abstract: The TNF-alpha-inducing capacity of different trypanosome components was analyzed in vitro, using as indicator cells a macrophage cell line (2C11/12) or peritoneal exudate cells from LPS-resistant C3H/HeJ mice and LPS-sensitive C3H/HeN mice. The variant-specific surface glycoprotein (VSG) was identified as the major TNF-alpha-inducing component present in trypanosome-soluble extracts. Both soluble (sVSG) and membrane-bound VSG (mfVSG) were shown to manifest similar TNF-alpha-inducing capacities, indicating that the dimyristoylglycerol (DMG) compound of the mfVSG anchor was not required for TNF-alpha triggering. Detailed analysis indicated that the glycosyl-inositol-phosphate (GIP) moiety was responsible for the TNF-alpha-inducing activity of VSG and that the presence of the GIP-associated galactose side chain was essential for optimal TNF-alpha production. Furthermore, the results showed that the responsiveness of macrophages toward the TNF-alpha-inducing activity of VSG was strictly dependent on the activation state of the macrophages, since resident macrophages required IFN-gamma preactivation to become responsive. Comparative analysis of the ability of both forms of VSG to activate macrophages revealed that mfVSG but not sVSG stimulates macrophages toward IL-1alpha secretion and acquisition of LPS responsiveness. The priming activity of mfVSG toward LPS responsiveness was also demonstrated in vivo and may be relevant during trypanosome infections, since Trypanosoma brucei-infected mice became gradually LPS-hypersensitive during the course of infection. Collectively, the VSG of trypanosomes encompasses two distinct macrophage-activating components: while the GIP moiety of sVSG mediates TNF-alpha induction, the DMG compound of the mfVSG anchor contributes to IL-1 alpha induction and LPS sensitization.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stijlemans
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radwanska
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pays
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Baetselier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D012995:Solubility; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C002773:dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol